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. Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. A beautiful mystery. How can God be both one and three? Wayne Grudem explains: But if each person is fully God and has all of Gods being, then we also should not think that the personal distinctions are any kind of additional attributes added on to the being of God . That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. Nicene Creed: An Outline of the Trinity Doctrine That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). It is the Matthew 28:19 baptismal formula: Jesus said, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in thenameof the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (emphasis mine). One illustration to beware of is the one which says, I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. The only way humans can know about these mysteries is because the Bible teaches them. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. God the Son. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. He is one in essence. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. Its NOT God. Understanding who the Holy Spirit is, the place He holds within the Holy Trinity and the role He plays in individual lives is vital to anyone exploring what it means to become a Christian and anyone trying to follow Jesus. One of the reasons Jonathan Edwards's vision of God has proved so helpful in my worship and ministry is that he does, and he doesn't, "explain" the Trinity. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. We all have a story. Awareness of the distinct role that each Person of the Trinity has in our salvation can especially serve to give us greater comfort and appreciation for God in our prayers, as well as helping us to be specific in directing our prayers. While this is in my mind the simplest, clearest explanation, I understand that even this breaks down when we go further and say I am a human and I am Keith Ferrin. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? And confusing ones. 3. Understanding the Trinity: How Can God Be Three Persons in One? - Cru.org The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. A Christian would still be expected to understand it. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. It's easy to turn doctrinal discussions into strictly intellectual affairs, but as Dr. Fred Sanders teaches in The Triune God course, we need to do so "in a way that enlists the reader's strict and holy attention for what is essentially a spiritual exercise." I am fully human. With input from her father, fart followed within a day or two, and I was horrified, but also excited that she mysteriously managed an r-controlled vowel without any explicit instruction. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. But its not a mystery that can or should! At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! Three parts in one, yet all very much an egg. Its a mystery the Bible teaches. The Trinity. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. These three persons make up the one true God. Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. We can discern and apprehend what it is. However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. You cant find an earthly match for this concept. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". Sigh. Thus, they relate to each other personally the Father regards Himself as I, while He regards the Son and Holy Spirit as You. Likewise the Son regards Himself as I, but the Father and the Holy Spirit as You.. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. Find freedom from your sins today. He exists as a Trinity. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. Sproul cites as an example Dickens famous line, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Obviously this is a contradiction if Dickens means that it was the best of times in the same way that it was the worst of times. However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. 8:1417). All three Persons of the Trinity are God. . But first, lets cover the basics. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. One God? This can only be if they share one essence. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. This is girl drama, and it can be extremely harmful to girls both mentally and emotionally. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. This leads us to investigate more closely a very helpful definition of the Trinity which I mentioned earlier: God is one in essence, but three in Person. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. There will always be some level of mystery to this, but when you talk about the being/nature/essence as God and the persons/expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think we get at least a little bit closer to beginning to comprehend something we can never fully comprehend. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. But he avoids contradiction with this statement because he means that in one sense it was the best of times, but in another sense it was the worst of times. But what exactly are essence or nature and personhood? Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. Showing God in action in and through His people. He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. 15:16), inspires, intercedes (Rom. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! If belief in the Trinity is so essential to Christianity, it would have been explicitly stated in the Bible and wouldn't have taken over 300 years to officially define it. But it is possible to go deeper. This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. But it is not. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? And in John 16:13-15 we see that although there is a close unity between them all, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. How do we receive His grace? But Scripture provides ample evidence of the existence of the Trinity. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. Allegedly, Saint Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor to explain the Trinity: three leaves, one shamrock. It is fundamental to our worldview. He exists as a Trinity. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will. In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was with God- thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. Famous pastor and authorA.W. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. . How to Explain the Trinity to Children | Free Printable - A HEART TO KNOW Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. The oldest member of the unholy trinity. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 32:39), Has personal traits, such as the ability to communicate (John 14:31), He has intellect (John 2:25), emotions (John 11:35), and a will (John 6:38), Has intellect (John 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. The important difference between complexity and incomprehension: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course, we could make it easier. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian Lets move on to Scriptural evidence for the Trinity. Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world. 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. 13:14; 1 Pet.1:2), In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1025), When Jesus promises the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:48), Peters sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:33; Acts 3839), Peter and apostles answer the high priest (Acts 5:3032), During Stephens heavenly vision at his stoning (Acts 7:5556), In Peters sermon to the gentiles in Caesarea (Acts 10:3638; Acts 4448), When Peter reports to the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:1518), When Peter speaks at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:811), During Pauls interaction with Jewish leaders in Rome (Acts 28:2531), Pauls epistles (Rom. If you are teaching young children, these object lessons are both the perfect starting and stopping point. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. "It has been said that there have been four centuries when the church's understanding of the person of Christ has been most under attack. ). 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. . Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. 32:17, 27; Matt. As a mom to three kids under 8, an instructional coach, and a former classroom teacher, I know a thing or two about how public schools REALLY work and the challenges we face in the United States. God is like the skin because He protects us. Why? Ibid, p. 255. Does Matthew 28:19 Prove the Trinity? - Life, Hope & Truth The Best Way to Explain the Trinity to Kids - The Purposeful Mom Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. Several analogies help us apprehend the Trinity. Discipleship 101: How to Disciple a New Believer - Crossway Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. This is absolutely true. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). The Trinity confuses even adults, so when youre tasked (or inspired) to teach the Trinity to a child, teenager, or new believer, it can be overwhelming. Now youre gonna tell me theyre all the same but also different? He is three in a different way than He is one. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons." Unpacking the Definition The word Trinity means three-in-one. Just hang on a little longer. How to Know and Understand the Holy Spirit | Cru - Cru.org In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. First, we have God. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. Teaching the Trinity to Students Youth Pastor Theologian God is spirit (John 4:24). How to Explain the Trinity to an Unbeliever - YouTube For if we deny this, we have denied Gods unity and affirmed that there is more than one being of God (i.e., that there is more than one God). The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. Most of them are less-than-helpful. What is Gods essence? PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk He is the only God that exists. 19:26). What Is the Trinity in Christianity? - Learn Religions So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. ). It's so simple, it fits on one page. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. Read more. passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. Are you still not a Christian? The next time you (or I) are asked to explain the Trinity, you could start with a 1-sentence definition and then unpack that definition. Nothing is more astonishing, more challenging, and more potentially life-transforming than knowing God.". Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity | Bible.org The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. We will never sell your information, for any reason. If there is one passage which most clearly brings all of this together, it is Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished as distinct Persons. Believe it or not, the fact that God is too immense for our finite minds should be comforting, not discouraging! We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. Thats why they wrote words like we find inJob 11:7-8, "Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? Confusing them leads to misunderstanding. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. Can You Explain the Trinity to Me? - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. Trinity comes from two word parts: tri, meaning three, and unity, meaning as one. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms a union of three. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. You will and can grasp these principles. While some say . While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. The Holy Trinity Prek Teaching Resources | TPT The most popular is probably the one found in the Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit .